The fraud case involving businessman Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, is set to proceed to trial after efforts to reach a plea-bargain agreement with the State broke down.
The Accra High Court has directed the prosecution to file its disclosures within 14 days, paving the way for the substantive trial to begin.
Wontumi had been in discussions with the prosecution for about a month in an attempt to resolve the case through a plea bargain.
However, the negotiations collapsed after the State rejected a proposal submitted by his lawyers.
Deputy Attorney-General Justice Srem-Sai had previously disclosed that prosecutors were dissatisfied with the terms proposed by the defence.
The State indicated that Wontumi’s team had offered to make a payment to resolve portions of the case, but prosecutors considered the proposal insufficient.
With no agreement reached, the court has now ordered the prosecution to provide the defence with the evidence and documents it intends to rely on during the trial.
The disclosure process will allow Wontumi and his legal team to examine the prosecution’s evidence and prepare their defence, in line with fair-trial guarantees under Article 19 of the 1992 Constitution.
The prosecution is now expected to comply with the court’s 14-day deadline by filing its disclosures, after which the case will proceed through the trial process.
